Celebrating the Real Ale Scene in Sussex Drinker Spring 2017 Free

Sussex CAMRA Branches 27th Beer and Cider Festival 2017

PUBLISHED AND FINANCED BY THE SUSSEX BRANCHES OF THE Thursday 23rd to CAMPAIGN FOR Saturday 25th March REAL ALE Racecourse

27th Sussex CAMRA Branches Beer & Cider Festival The 27th Sussex SUSSEX CAMRA CAMRA Branches Beer & Cider Festival BRANCHES will be held at Brighton 27th BEER and CIDER Racecourse, Elm Grove, BN1 1UE from FESTIVAL 2017 Thursday 23 – (* Or until the beer runs out!) Saturday 25 March (**On door only with valid NUS ID) 2017. This is a much larger venue than last Doors will open 20 minutes before official year, is fully opening times to allow time to pick up your free wheelchair accessible and has lots of seating glass and programme and to buy tokens. and tables! Advance tickets will be available from Monday Free shuttle buses will be 23 January 2017 – Friday 17 March 2017 available from the rear of inclusive Brighton Station to and from the from each session (not following Saturday evening). A full outlets: timetable will be issued Evening on the website & in Star, selling tickets nearer the Brighton; festival. Brighton & Gardener’s buses number 2 Arms & and 22 stop outside the venue and buses 21, Brewers Arms, Lewes; Duke of Wellington 21A, and 23 stop nearby (see B&H website Arms, Shoreham-by-Sea; Selden Arms, www.buses.co.uk for full details). Worthing; and Beer Essentials, Horsham. For postal sales, please state which session(s) you There will be around 160 beers from across the require and enclose a 9x4 SAE with your UK, including new beer launches from some of cheque, made payable to “Sussex CAMRA the 59+ Sussex Breweries; plus a large selection Beer & Cider Festival” and send to SBB&CF of ciders and perries. A variety of food will also Ticket Sales, 16 Connell Drive, , be on sale, including vegetarian options. Brighton, BN2 6RT. Sorry, NO REFUNDS.

The beer will be cooled throughout the festival. If you are lucky enough to look under 25 years This means that it should be in the same old, bring photo ID and please note that you excellent condition on Saturday evening, as it is must be over 18 to gain admission. when we open on Thursday night. A minimum of 50 tickets for each session will Opening Times & Ticket Prices: be available on the door. Those who buy their Thursday 23/03/17 5pm - 10pm £5.00 tickets in advance will enter the venue first. Friday 24/03/17 11am - 3pm £6.00 5pm - 10pm £8.00 A BIG thank you to our main sponsors Dark Saturday 25/03/17 11noon – 7pm* £5.00 Star Brewery & Harveys Brewery, much 3.30pm – 7pm* £2.50** appreciated!

Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 3 27th Sussex CAMRA Branches Beer & Cider Festival

Dark Star Brewery has opened a new in BEFORE ‘time’ is called at the bar. Surplus Haywards Heath, The Lockhart, 41 The tokens may be deposited in the festival charity Broadway, RH16 3AS. They have kindly box. offered a prize of a main meal for 4 people plus a pint each, which is worth around £70. In For more information see the festival website addition, they are supplying their vintage www.sussexbeerfestival.co.uk. If you would shuttle bus to the racecourse. Big thanks Dark like to volunteer to Star! work at the festival and have not done Harveys Brewery has a 3 year waiting list so in the past, (which is currently closed) to tour the brewery! please see the They have kindly offered 2 brewery tours, for website. All 2017 which tickets will be available to purchase at festival enquiries the festival. If you are unable to attend the to: [email protected] or festival but would like to purchase a ticket, 07450656148. Please also follow our Twitter please text us at the number below. In addition feed: @SussexBeerFest. anyone who joins CAMRA by Direct Debit at the festival will receive a free ticket to the tour. We look forward to seeing both old friends and Big thanks Harveys! new in March!

All bars will operate a token system. Token Ruth Anderson refunds will be given for whole £’s only Festival Organiser ADUR VALLEY BEER WALK Spurred on by the success of the Ballards Beer Walk each December, plans are well advanced for an Adur Valley Beer Walk this summer, with not one but possibly three breweries. Adur, Riverside and The Stonemasons Inn Downlands Breweries are within a few miles of each PUBLIC HOUSE . DINING . ACCOMMODATION other in the lower Adur valley, with Steyning and some lovely pubs in between. Footpaths and country A warm welcome always awaits you roads connect them up and you can walk alongside the at this lovely 17th century Inn lovely River Adur for part of the way. The breweries Local seasonal menu would be open from noon to 6pm offering their beers at brewery prices and of course the pubs would be Real Ales open too. The proposed date is Saturday 27th May (Cask Marque Award & featured in CAMRA Best Beer Guide 2015) 2017 which is a Bank Holiday weekend, but for 2018 Good Wine Cellar Roaring log fires it may be the weekend after and be part of the Steyning Festival, if successful. So far, Riverside and Adur Comfortable en-suite accommodation Breweries are signed up, with Downlands ’thinking about it’. If they come on board there will probably be a half-hourly minibus to connect the breweries, for those unable to walk the full distance. The No.2 bus from Brighton and Shoreham stops right outside Riverside Brewery then goes into Steyning, with a Compass bus connecting Small Dole and Steyning. Opening hours: Mon-Sat noon-11pm, Sun noon-6pm More details will be in the next Sussex Drinker when North Street, Petworth GU28 9NL • 01798 342510 everything is finalised… and probably with a route [email protected] map too. Adrian Towler www.thestonemasonsinn.co.uk

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Contributors: Peter Adams, Graham Bean, Pat Higgins, Steve Obey, Phil Packham, John Quick, Ian Robertson, David Seall, David Muggleton, Mike Hedgethorne

News of new developments and updates on the committee. More than 300 people invested to Sussex pub scene will be gratefully received by take ownership of the pub, which was listed as the Editor for consideration in Scratchings. The an Asset of Community Value. Enterprise Inns standard disclaimer on p. 46 applies to all asset and development director Richard items. Broadribb said: “There was considerable interest in The Half Moon and we are delighted ■■ ALCISTON the local community has been successful in its The new owners of the Rose Cottage Inn bid to take over ownership. As a business we approached National Park regularly review our pubs and unfortunately Authority for pre-application advice as they there are occasions when some of our pubs no wish to change the pub to residential use. longer fit the criteria to remain under our However, the planning officer’s reply was not ownership. It’s pleasing to see the community positive as the pub is inside the National Park, has managed to take on The Half Moon to in a Conservation Area and is a Grade II listed secure its future as a pub. We wish them the best building. The reply can be viewed on the of luck for completion next week and have Authority’s web site. Firm policies which offered to support them over the coming months prevent change of use of ‘community should they need it.” The BCP is now looking infrastructure’ were cited. A previous for a publican to run the business. Secretary application was refused in 2014, when an Rodney Saunders said: “Village support has investigation commissioned by the Authority been critical and our success is a testament to concluded that the Rose Cottage Inn was a the strong community spirit in Balcombe. More viable business so should continue as a public than 300 villagers invested to keep our pub a house. pub. We are also grateful for the advice and ■■ ASHURSTWOOD support from The Plunkett Foundation. With The Three Crowns reopened as ‘La Pergola’, their help we didn’t need to ‘reinvent the wheel’ only to close again. It has since reopened again and we are proud to have joined the growing as a Mexican/Italian Food establishment, but ranks of community-owned pubs.” The sale does stock two cask beers. was handled by agent Fleurets.

■■ BALCOMBE ■■ BOGNOR REGIS Enterprise Inns The Aviator Bar and Grill at the Carlton has has sold the been sold by Fuller’s to Marston’s. Half Moon, to ■■ BRIGHTON the local The future of the Caroline of Brunswick, community Grand Parade looks more rosey with the current after residents management having been offered a 5-year raised almost lease. £300,000 to buy the pub. Contracts have been exchanged and the sale is due to complete on The William IV, at the corner of Bond Street Monday, 23 January following a campaign by and Church Street, has closed. the Balcombe Community Pub (BCP)

6 Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 An ever changing range of five cask conditioned Five Bells ales that always includes Smock Alley one mild, one session , two best bitters West Chiltington and one strong bitter. Plus one changing craft keg beer, Hacker Pschorr RH20 2QX genuine Munich lager, 01798 812143 and Westons Old Rosie Cider on gravity. Homemade traditional Arun & Adur food, plus 5 en suite CAMRA bedrooms. Country All of this in a very Pub of the traditional pub! Year 2016 www.thefivebellsinn.com

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■■ BURWASH Inn to celebrate its listing as an Asset of The new tenant at Community Value (ACV). Penny Kift, the Rose and CAMRA member and Parish Councillor, lead Crown, Mireille, the nomination, gaining support from around has built up custom 30 local residents who value the pub, which has since taking over been improved since the management took over last summer. The two years ago. In 2015 Penny managed to get pub dates back to an ACV listing for the Prince of Wales in nearby Tudor times and is situated in Ham Lane, just Heathfield: this pub is being refurbished and we off the High Street. It offers pub food, hope to report its re-opening in the next issue. accommodation and an increase to four Harvey’s ales on draught. ■■ CROWBOROUGH Shepherd Neame have placed the closed ■■ CHAILEY GREEN Railway Tavern in Jarvis Brook, next to Good reports have been received about the Five Crowborough Station, up for sale. The pub Bells, Chailey with five handpumps serving dates from 1871, just after the railway arrived in good quality real ales. this part of Sussex. Advertised as being “with potential for residential or other types of ■■ CLAPHAM development”. Happy hour is offered at theCoach & Horses with all pints £2.50. Very welcoming pub on ■■ DENTON A27 backing on to West Durrington. Well-kept The Flying Fish (Shepherd Neame) is under Ghost Ship, Harvey’s Sussex Best and new management, and showing signs of two LocAles from Hammerpot and Langham improvement. Beers from Harvey’s and were recently on tap. Shepherd Neame are available and are well presented, although at a price (£4 per pint for ■■ Spitfire Gold in December). The food has had The Swan is no longer selling cask ale due to very good reviews. There is a weekly pub quiz various issues between the licensee and on Wednesday. All the staff are clearly working Enterprise Inns. For the foreseeable future, just very hard to bring this village pub back to what bottled beers will be available. The pub held a it once was. Bottled Belgian Beer Festival between 26th and 30th October. ■■ EAST ASHLING Long-time bar manager Nick Loubser has left The Half Moon, Southgate, has reopened and the Horse and Groom after many year’s reports are that the beer quality is good. service, reportedly to run a furniture store. His ■■ CROSS IN HAND legendary conviviality and service as well as his In December voice and sense of humour will be missed by members of regular customers. The pub continues to be run North East by Mike and Michelle Martell, under whose Sussex’s sub- direction the pub has been a Good Beer Guide branch gathered regular and one-time pub of the year. with the ■■ EASTBOURNE licensees at the One of the town’s most popular and elegant Cross in Hand

8 Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 9 Sussex Pub Scratchings — continued hotels, the Hydro, offers real ale for the first and Harvey’s Best Bitter are the regulars with time by introducing Harvey’s Sussex Best four rotating guests, which usually feature local Bitter. On a cliff top at the western end of the breweries. Beers from Black Cat, Tonbridge seafront, the hotel boasts commanding views, and Long Man were on offer in December. manicured gardens and a historic atmosphere. ■■ FRIDAY STREET The LocAle The Royal Oak is advertised for sale with a accredited price tag of £500k for the freehold. Dolphin, South ■■ HAILSHAM Street, Popular landlady Helen Lawrence has returned Eastbourne, has to the King’s Head, South Road. During her a novel new previous term, the pub won South item on its Branch’s Pub of the Year award in 2011. dessert menu - Beer Ice Cream! Several Helen’s partner, Steve, oversees the kitchen, different ales were trialled, including initially producing traditional roasts on Harviestoun Old Engine Oil, but the most Sundays, cooked with locally sourced produce. successful ingredient was Gun Brewery’s, The pub now opens at 4pm during the week and Parabellum Milk Stout, a LocAle that the pub from noon, Friday to Sunday, but opening times has had on several times on rotation with other and food offerings may be extended, please Gun, Downlands, Dark Star and Long Man real check their website: search for ‘King’s Head ales. The ice cream is delicious, and even Cacklebury’. customers that don’t drink real ales or beer have been trying it and liking it! The George ■■ EAST GRINSTEAD Hotel, George The Open Arms aim to increase their opening Street, are hours in the near future. planning some ‘Meet the ■■ ERIDGE GREEN Brewer’ The Huntsman (Hall & Woodhouse) has new evenings next tenants, business partners Jordan and James, year. The dates who took over in October. The regular offerings and details will be listed on the South East are Badger First Call and King & Barnes Sussex Branch website as soon as they are Sussex Bitter with a third beer usually being known. This Wetherspoon’s pub is well known Fursty Ferret or Tanglefoot. Food continues to for the quality of its real ale, with up to six on be a major feature. offer at any one time, always including a LocAle. Less well known perhaps is its range of ■■ FINDON real cider. This is the only pub in the area to The Black Horse is under new ownership and regularly offer a choice of real cider, even management since New Year. The last edition through the winter months. A recent visit found incorrectly reported the pub as closed, sincere three on offer: Gwynt Y Draig ‘Black Dragon apologies for this error. and two from the Weston’s stable ‘Marcle Hill’ ■■ FRANT and ‘Old Rosie’. The Black Dragon was found The range of cask beers at the Abergavenny to be very good. They are stored in a separate Arms has increased to six. Larkin’s Traditional cool-room for optimum serving temperature,

10 Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 11 Sussex Pub Scratchings — continued not boxes on bars or in an ice-cold refrigerator! ■■ HORAM The May Garland Inn has added a third beer to ■■ HALLAND its offering. A recent visit found beers from New managers Harveys, Long Man and Isfield breweries on Steve and Viki tap, all were in good form. provide a warm welcome at the ■■ HORSHAM Blacksmith’s The Black Jug (Brunning & Price) has changed Arms free its house ale which was Harvey’s Sussex Best house. Until which has been replaced with Long Man Best recently it was Bitter. known as the The Boars Head (Hall & Woodhouse) has Black Lion Inn, but has reverted to its original reopened. name. It’s worth visiting as at least three ales are available to a high standard, including The Queens Head (Hall & Woodhouse) has Harvey’s Best and carefully chosen rotating reopened with a new licensee. guests, frequently brewed by microbreweries in the vicinity. Real cider is served too, by ■■ HOVE handpump. The pub has log fires, good The Albion, Church Road is to be refurbished as homemade food, weekly entertainment and a a family food-led pub , following the retirement function room. They offer Bed and Breakfast of the long-time landlord. too. ■■ KIRDFORD ■■ HARTFIELD The Half Moon is on the market its lease for The freehold of the Anchor Inn is for sale. sale for £150k.

Planning consent to convert the long-closed ■■ LANCING Hay Waggon to housing has been passed. Andy & Fiona Kempa took over New Sussex Hotel in 2014. They continue to sell 4 local ■■ HASTINGS ales, with Harvey’s Sussex Best Bitter, Dark Greene King’s the Robert de Mortain on the Star APA and Long Man Best Bitter being the 3 Ridge is up for sale: offers over £500,000 are regulars. The fourth ale can come from any invited. The site is just under one acre. Sussex brewery. Downlands Penguin, a 4.7% dark ale was recently tried and in good The recently resurrected Jolly Fisherman in condition. Old Town now have a properly equipped cellar to keep real ale and cider. From 25th January ■■ LEWES they will offer four real ale taps, and four real The Gardener’s Arms, cider taps with a focus on the best small, local the local branch 2016 producers and with a wide range of styles from POTY, is fast approaching traditional best bitters, hoppy APAs and more its 6,000th ale since the experimental styles. The first offerings are pub was resurrected from Heritage Best from Firebird, Porter from the 2001 flood. In Burning Sky and Rye Pale from 360°. celebration, the pub will be holding its first Beer

12 Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 13 Sussex Pub Scratchings — continued

Festival on 10th to 12th February – welcoming nights, and is in a very attractive location at the all to sup on the Dark Side with a selection of entrance of Newhaven Harbour. strong dark beers specially selected by cellar man Russ Thorpe. Miles Jenner is the ■■ ST LEONARDS 6,000th anniversary ale to be released at the The Dripping Spring, an excellent real ale Festival opening. establishment in Tower Road is currently closed while owners Enterprise Inns find new tenants. A new ‘nano’ brewery called Abyss has been established at the Pelham Arms. The North Star remains a must for real ale drinkers, with beers from Rother Valley very ■■ LOWER HORSEBRIDGE much enjoyed on recent visits. The saga at the White Hart continues as the development company who’d like to redevelop At the Tower the the site have appealed to the Planning pool table has Inspectorate after their planning application temporarily been was refused by Wealden District Council in replaced by September. The pub remains open. additional tables and seating during ■■ LOWER WILLINGDON the very busy A recent midweek visit found the British Christmas and New Year festivities. Whilst Queen busy with lunchtime visitors enjoying Dark Star Hophead and APA remain extremely excellent home cooked food. This large and popular the ever changing guest ales have been welcoming community pub continues to offer a going just as fast with beers ranging from 3 to well-kept range of real ale and cider: the regular 10.5%, with both light and dark available. Harvey’s Best was joined by Harvey’s and a very fine St Austell Tribute. They also The ever popular St Leonard, with its unique offer a real cider, Orchard Pig ‘Hog Father’, opening times, continues to offer three real ales, found to be in fine fettle; it’s stored in a separate often from Franklins, as found recently, and for cool room. Monday is Curry Night. other drinkers an excellent wine selection.

■■ MANNINGS HEATH At the Horse and Groom landlord David The Dun Horse is still closed, but a planning continues to offer four beers with Harveys application has been submitted to convert part Sussex Best on regularly. of the pub to a crèche and build two houses on The in the town centre and part of the grounds. Norman Arms close to the seafront remains closed but, ■■ NEWHAVEN according to their web site, owners Star Pubs At the Hope Inn, and Bars reveal plans for extensive an excellent choice refurbishment and invite prospective tenants to of at least three apply. Full renovation of the brick frontage and real ales is offered, internal areas is planned along with a new with a very varied kitchen on the first floor, to provide a new food and good quality offer. food menu. A beer festival is planned for August bank holiday. The pub has a lively Adnams Ghost Ship was a nice find at theBo- atmosphere, regular music nights, and quiz Peep on a recent visit to this ever busy pub.

14 Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 15 Sussex Pub Scratchings — continued

■■ SOUTH HEIGHTON Dark Star, Hammerpot, and Cottage, with the At the Hampden Arms two real ales are intention to also showcase some of the favourite usually on offer, and always well presented. A ales from the Gardeners in Lewes. During basic but varied food menu is available. The happy hour, Monday to Saturday 4pm to 6pm, atmosphere at weekends especially is of a true, there is at least one ale on at £2.50. At other old fashioned, village pub. The pub has a pool times the Camra card will obtain a 5% discount. table, darts and toad in the hole, offers a monthly pub quiz, and live music most Fridays, ■■ SHOREHAM-BY-SEA Saturdays and Bank Holidays. The Amsterdam is now another food-led pub after becoming part of the Stonegate Taverns ■■ SEAFORD group. The Old Plough Inn has ■■ WORTHING been recently The Selden Arms refurbished to a Winterfest took very high and place in late pleasing January. This standard. annual event Various real ales are always available, and always features an generally well presented. All real ales are £2.25 impressive range every Monday, and good food with special of ales and is very popular with locals and those deals are offered. from further afield.

The Crown (free house) is a sports bar with a Worthing’s latest micro-pub, Green Man Ale lively atmosphere, especially when football is & Cider House, usually has three or four ales showing on the TV. No food is offered but including LocAles and others from further excellent real ales including Doom Bar, afield plus several ciders. Harvey’s and Hophead, always to a very good Sir Timothy Shelley closed at short notice on standard, and keenly priced. Occasional New Year’s Day. However, a good range of entertainment is offered with a disco or band. LocAles can now be found opposite at Three The Wellington (Greene King) has an amazing Fishes, Worthing’s other JD Wetherspoon. array of real ales, very few, if any, brewed by Steve Walker, pubco lessee, will be leaving Greene King, and always well presented. There Richard Cobden in the early months of 2017. is a very varied food menu, with the Monday It is currently unclear what Punch Taverns’ night steak offer being particularly good. plans are for the community pub.

The Old Boot now Dominion Group has acquired Chapman Group has six handpumps to become the new owners of Alehouse & with Harvey’s Best Kitchen and Grand Victorian Hotel. A new and a Lilleys Cider local brewer will be taking over brewing at on permanently, a Alehouse & Kitchen from approximately the regular Harvey’s end of January and they plan to continue seasonal ale and brewing weekly but will rationalise the range three handpumps rotating with guest beers from with the emphasis on quality and drinkability.

16 Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 Brighton Bier Save Grade II Listed Pub

Brighton Bier, the Brighton Bier Save Grade II city’s very own Listed Pub in Brighton international award The pub, which is the only listed building on winning brewery, will Edward Street, is only a little over a mile from be opening the the brewery and just off the . “Brighton Bierhaus” Brighton Bier has always had a close affinity to in early 2017 after the area, having started brewing at the Hand in saving The Jury’s Out Hand pub a short walk away in Kemptown. on Edward Street Stephen Whitehurst, Director of Brighton Bier, close to the centre of Brighton, which was said “we’ve always thought this ‘East Central’ recently put up for sale by Enterprise. part of the city has a huge amount to offer; the Originally a amount of investment and regeneration taking regency place in the area shows that others think the house, the same”. ground floor We are very pleased to have been able to save was the pub for the local community and Brighton converted to as a whole. After years of neglect and a pub around underinvestment in the fabric of the building 1830 as the The Jury’s Out in 2010 we’re having to undertake some necessary Thurlow Arms Creative Commons Hassocks5489 renovation to the pub guided by our wonderful and likely partners in the project Copsemill Properties. We named after the former Lord Chancellor Baron all have a very sympathetic approach to the Thurlow. Once one of over twenty seven pubs building and hope to be able to save and bring on the street, had the pub not been saved the out some of the historic and architectural points street may have been left with just a single pub of interest that have been lost or hidden over the as yet another part of community life vanished. years. Pubs that were once the cornerstone of The “Brighton Bierhaus” will open in early communities are slowly being lost as they are 2017 with an extensive range of beers, transformed into houses and shops across the showcasing the award winning beers brewed by country. Sadly in the UK four pubs are still Brighton Bier, and other great beers from UK, closing every single day; according to European and American breweries. closedpubs.co.uk well over 900 pubs have been lost in Sussex with over 160 pubs having closed in and there remain countless others that have disappeared in the mists of time.

Ollie Fisher, Director of Brighton Bier, said “we could not see another pub of such importance close in Brighton and wanted to step in, we just couldn’t see a building with such potential go to waste and a pub with nearly 200-years of heritage be lost”. The Bier Haus undergoing restoration

Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 17 Bus to the Pub

The Sussex Bus to the Pub Group Join us on our travels!

The Sussex Bus to the Pub group (BttP) February has been running since May 2009 and now attracts participants from many Thursday 2 Steyning & Lancing; 11.55 B&H 2 from Shoreham High St to Steyning for Norfolk areas of our fine county, so if you too Arms (GBG), return to Shoreham at 13.40 then would enjoy visiting different pubs with catch a Stagecoach 700 to Lancing and walk up to fine ales and informal convivial Stanley Ale House (GBG) 5, Queensway north of company without the constraints of the rail station. car, then BttP may just appeal! Wednesday 8 Newhaven & ; Itineraries and the number of pubs Meet Alan at Lewes Bus Station for 11.05 Compass visited vary but often it is possible for 123 to Newhaven for Hope (GBG) then on to Jolly participants to dip in or out of a trip to Boatman. Then catch B&H 12 to Rottingdean for suit. Often there is a short paved or Queen Victoria (GBG). metalled road walk from the nearest bus Thursday 16 Horsham; Meet Maltshovel (GBG) stop to the pub. If it is more than an half at noon, then on to Piries Bar (GBG) and Anchor mile then we will show an approximate Tap (Dark Star). distance and if it is across footpaths Friday 24 Littlehampton; Meet George (w/sp) which could be muddy or uneven, then at noon then a walkabout. Pubs to be visited to be you will also see a walking boot decided on the day by the participants. symbol. March

With so many good pubs struggling to Thursday 2 Worthing; meet Anchored (GBG) at survive in the current economic climate noon then sometime later Stagecoach 700 to and County Council budget cuts Egremont (GBG). threatening the subsidised bus services Monday 6 Bognor & Middleton; Meet Hatters that serve many rural communities, join (GBG) at noon then Stagecoach 600 to Middleton us in ‘supporting them’. for Cabin. Possibilty of going to Inglenook (GBG) Nyetimber later via S/C 600. For those Local Bus timetables can be found at: considering that option buy rail tickets to Brighton & Hove www.buses.co.uk Chichester and catch S/C 700 to Bognor with a 10 Compass Bus www.compass-travel.co.uk minute frequency. Emsworth www.emsworthanddistrict.co.uk Metrobus www.metrobus.co.uk Wednesday 15 Turners Hill & West Hoathly; Seaford & Dist. www.journeysolutions.co.uk Meet H H Perrymount rd bus stop for 11.55 Metro Stagecoach www.stagecoachbus.com/south 272 to Turners Hill for Crown & Red Lion (both Sussex Bus www.thesussexbus.com GBG) then 13.54 Metro 84 to West Hoathly Cuckmere Valley www.cuckmerebuses.org.uk (Bradfield) for a 7-8 minute road walk to Cat (GBG). Then 15.42 Metro 84 to , Some of you reading this may also be option of carrying on to Crawley for Brewery interested in Pete Brown’s bi-monthly Shades (GBG). Trains to Pubs (TTLP) group Thursday 23 Ditchling & Plumpton; Meet at (see the Diary Dates). Quench (GBG) Burgess Hill at 11.00 for the 11.45

18 Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 Bus to the Pub

Compass 167 to Ditchling for Bull & White Horse Wednesday 10 Petersfield; Meet Chi bus (GBG). Then 14.19 Compass 167 to Plumpton for station (south side opp Foundry pub / Rail Station) Half Moon. Then 14.51 Compass 166 to for 10.54 Emsworth & District 54 to Petersfield for Wivelsfield Green for Cock (GBG). various pubs including the Drum & Town House. Thursday 30 Lodsworth & Midhurst; Meet Thursday 18 Littlehampton, Wick & Chichester bus station for 11.13 Stagecoach 60 to Arundel; Meet George (w/sp) at 11.00 then catch Midhurst then Stagecoach 1 to Halfway Bridge OR 11.42 Stagecoach 700 (destination Arundel) from meet Worthing South st for 11.05 Stagecoach 1 to Anchor Springs to Wick for Dewdrop and Halfway Bridge, for 0.8 mile road walk to Locomotive. Later get 700 to Arundel for Red Lion Lodsworth for Hollist (GBG). Later return to & Kings Arms. Return to Littlehampton for New Midhurst for Swan (Harveys) and finally to West Inn (GBG). Dean for Dean Ale & Cider House (GBG). Please be aware that, due to this programme being April planned months in advance, bus time tables could be changed or, worse still, cut completely by the Thursday 6 Scaynes Hill & Newick; Meet at time any trip actually takes place. Also, the ever H H Perrymount rd for 11.48 Compass 31 to continuing industrial action being taken by the rail Scaynes Hill for Inn on the Green. Then 13.04 to unions on Southern Rail also means, that trips can Newick for Crown (GBG) and Royal Oak. Then be completely impossible at worst or risky at best. 14.57 to return to Haywards Heath. This can mean other trips are substituted at very Thursday 13 West Chiltington & Thakeham; short notice. It therefore is in your best interest to 11.05 Stagecoach 1 from South St Worthing to join the mailing list at: beermatsRus.max@ Roundabout Lane for Five Bells (GBG). Then 1.5 mypostoffice.co.uk, alternatively phone Max on mile footpath walk (muddy if wet) to Thakeham 01243 828394. for White Lion. Then 1.7 mile (mainly) road walk to Ashington for 16.00 Metro 23 back to Worthing. Thursday 20 Barnham, Yapton & Eastergate; Meet at Murrell Arms from 11.00 then 12.36 Compass 66 to Yapton for Maypole (GBG). Then 15.11 Compass 66 to Eastergate for Wilkes Head (GBG). Return to Barnham Station on Compass 66 either at 16.31 or 17.51 or Compass 85A at 16.52. Friday 28 Lindfield & Horsted Keynes; Meet H H Perrymount Rd for 11.45 Compass 30 to Lindfield for Witch. Then 12.51 to Red Lion & Stand Up Inn. Then 14.24 Metrobus 270 to Known locally as Ypres Castle Inn Horsted Keynes for Green Man. Catch 15.52 Wipers this 17th Metrobus 270 to return to Haywards Heath or century pub offers five Gungarden Brighton. real ales and locally Rye May produced food. East Sussex Nestled behind Ypres TN31 7HH Thursday 4 Goddards Green, Henfield & Castle the pub is ideally ; Meet Burgess Hill Church Rd for 11.11 located to enjoy the 01797 223248 Bramber www.yprescastleinn.co.uk Compass 100 to Gatehouse Lane for short walk to surrounding views from Sportsman. Then get the 12.20 to Henfield for the the pretty beer garden. Plough and / or George . Then 13.38 to Bramber Live music is provided for Castle Hotel. Return to Burgess Hill at 15.30. every Friday & Sunday night.

Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 19 Bru News

Coffee Milk Stout, Wild Heaven with a bigger variety of hops and Sussex Bier, now brewed to a true Viennese style. The Christmas cask ale was the Red Nose (5%), given a twist this year with orange zest and coriander. Forthcoming brewery open evenings will take place on Wednesdays 15th February and 10th May, both at 7 pm; places can be booked online via the Information here is generally supplied brewery website. by the Brewery Liaison Officers (BLO) BLO Jeff Vinter named at the end of each report. The Brewery Liaison Coordinator for ASHDOWN ALES London & South East Area is Peter Withyham, 01892 770532 greatbeers@ Page-Mitchell. This report is compiled ashdownales.co.uk and edited by Peter Adams, Deputy BLO Jason Phillips Brewery Liaison Coordinator for Sussex. BALLARD’S Nyewood, 01730 821362. 1648 www.ballards-brewery.co.uk East Hoathly, 01825 840830. BLO Barry Woodward www.1648brewing.co.uk clips reflecting the background of the With spring will come our light but full premises. Brewing will remain weekly BARTLEBYS bodied Ruby Mild (3.6%) together for the present and availability just the Brighton, 01273 275012 with the award winning Three one or two local outlets. At present [email protected] Threads (4.3%) which is a mixture of the price of all beers remains at an BLO tbc pale, dark and mild beers. Also Saint extremely attractive £2.50/pint. George (4.5%), a traditional English ale BLO Tim Walker which will be at its best around for the BEACHY HEAD 23rd April to help with the celebrations. ARUNDEL East Dean, 01323 423313. (4.0%) is a new beer www.beachyhead.org.uk La Blonde Ford, nr Arundel, 01903 733111. brewed by our French brewer Yannick. As usual pre-Christmas was a very www.arundelbrewery.co.uk It will be made with Champagne yeast busy time of the year at the brewery; During 2016 the brewery added a and can be described as light, bright and pins for home consumption being range of exciting new beers to its core brut with a hint of citrus aroma. There particularly popular. A very successful range of popular well-balanced brews. are more things in the pipeline so In October it ‘took over the taps’ at The open weekend was held at the end of always keep a watch out for 1648. Brunswick in Hove to showcase its October to mark the brewery’s tenth BLO David Platt newer cask ales, including Coffee Milk anniversary, with music and Morris Stout, Wild Heaven APA, Autumn Dancing from the Long Man side. The 360° Breeze Pumpkin Ale, (made with full range of Beachy Head ales Sheffield Park, 01825 722375. including vintage Christmas Ale in Slindon pumpkins and spiced with www.360degreebrewing.com excellent condition was available and nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon) and the BLO Jason Phillips first rate pies provided by Taylormade new Session IPA (4.2%), brewed with of Newhaven. 2017 may see some Simcoe and Mosaic hops to deliver a considerable change at the brewery as ADUR powerful hop character; two new keg Roger Green (the brewer) is thinking Steyning, 01903 867614. beers were also featured. In the run-up www.adurbrewery.com to Christmas, the brewery shop of altering its whole layout. Good BLO Nigel Watson regularly extended its in-house cask news regarding the promotion of offering with three guest ales selected Beachy Head, Legless Rambler and ALEHOUSE & KITCHEN by Brett Preston, the popular Brighton Parsons Porter should soon be seen Worthing, 01903 238392. beer blogger, which made it an in the Potting Shed micro pub in The Alehouse and Kitchen is effectively excellent destination for beer lovers. Hythe, Kent. relaunching in 2017 with a new local Second brewer Brenden Quinn BLO Tony Harman brewer of some repute, a rationalised produced three new bottled beers for range of ales and a new set of pump Christmas, comprising Hirondelle

20 SussexSussex Drinker:Drinker: SpringSpring 20172017 Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 21 Bru News

BEDLAM American style pale ales and IPAs with supplying one firkin per week of Albourne, 01273 978015. the newest Northern Latitude hop Requiem IPA to the Long Man of www.bedlambrewery.co.uk harvest being available from January. Wilmington in Brighton, supplies have Despite being an unsettling year in the Aside from that, the festive season has been seen in Quaff Wine Shop in big world, 2016 turned out to be a been good with the favourite beers Ditchling Road, Brighton and the fantastic year in the relatively tiny world being a cold brew coffee porter in Watchmakers, Hove. of Bedlam Brewery. Perhaps the two collaboration with a local coffee shop BLO Paul Free things are linked as people sought the and a special festive cask of a malty red certainty of a good pint in a good pub. ale with Morello cherry puree, BRIGHTON BIER Bedlam’s appeal for new shareholders cinnamon sticks and vanilla pods which www.brightonbier.com through crowdfunding was successful was available exclusively at The BLO James Eddleston beyond expectation with investors Watchmakers Arms in late December. throughout the UK (and a few outside) BLO Peter Mitchell BURNING SKY exceeding the target needed to help Firle, 01273 858080. with the funding for the planned new BLACK CAT www.burningskybeer.com brewery. Framfield, Uckfield. A limited edition bottled conditioned The Bull at Ditchling won not only the www.blackcat-brewery.com Imperial Stout (8.5%) was released in title of the Great British Freehouse but Christmas this year has been a great mid December and sold in house. I was then also to win the overall title of The success especially due to the limited fortunate to try a keg version of this at Great British Pub of 2016. The Bull is release of Tzar Russian Imperial Stout the excellent Fuggles Beer Café in owned by Dominic, who is also that won Overall Gold in SIBA’s Tunbridge Wells. It is like a really Bedlam’s top man which makes the Bull Southeast Regional Beer Competition decadent, quality liquid Christmas the Bedlam brewery tap. (Bedlam is back in July. pudding. If you can get hold of one unashamed at stealing some glory). 2017 sees delivery of a 10 barrel plant these, then do it! And finally, what a Christmas! The which has been on order for a while. The brewery will soon be releasing a brewery shared a farm-gate style Due at the end of February we shall be batch of Flanders Red that has been opening over the Advent period with rolling out Black Cat ale further afield ageing since 2014. A Table Saison is in Albourne Winery, which proved so as well as providing more availability Chardonnay barrels and the Devil’s successful that stocks of bottled beers locally. A few more pubs local to the Rest IPA has been resurrected and were depleted. brewery have taken our beer on revamped. Thanks to everyone who has made an permanently, great to see that we have Mark has ordered a bespoke coolship, investment, a Sussex pub or a beer for such a support from our locals. which will be installed in the restored Christmas. BLO John Packer barn in January. This should allow the BLO Peter Mitchell brewery to create beer fermented with BREWING BROTHERS wild yeast from the surrounding South BEER ME Hastings, 01424 426745 Downs. They will also break up some Eastbourne, Belgian Café. 01323 www.brewingbrothers.org of their oak barrels and install them, like 729967, thebelgiancafe.co.uk. A new brewery which started in an inverted umbrella above the Production continues to increase and September 2016 in the back of the coolship, so the wild yeast can mix with we are now sometimes brewing twice a Imperial in Queens Road, Hastings, has their own cultivated yeast. day. The beer.me IPA should be a 2.5 barrel capacity. Initially mentored BLO Ruth Anderson available from early 2017; this batch has by the Three Legs Brewery they have a twist, this time brewed with papaya brewed four brother-themed beers to CROOKED BROOK and some American hops. Also expect date, starting with Wrights APA (5.6%), Copthorne, 07595 262247 to see the brewery’s first Tripel style Kennedy’s Session IPA (4.7%), www.crookedbrook.co.uk beer available from March this year. Attenborough’s Amber (5%) and most BLO TBC BLO Scott O’Rourke recently RYEteous Brothers Red Rye (4.6%). Another session pale with all DARK STAR BEERCRAFT New Zealand hops is currently being Partridge Green, 01403 713085. Hove brewed. www.darkstarbrewing.co.uk www.beercraftbrighton.co.uk BLO Robin Hill Quarter one promises to be another The New Year will see the brewery take interesting period. We will be bringing on a fresh house yeast strain from BRICK HOUSE back The Art of Darkness and White Labs in the US as another stride , Brighton. introducing a new American Brown to brewing the best beer possible. The [email protected] beer. Some of you will be familiar with focus this spring will be on a series of Although Brick House was only

22 SussexSussex Drinker:Drinker: SpringSpring 20172017 The White Dog Inn Village Street, Ewhurst Green Robertsbridge, East Sussex Welcome to The White Dog Inn. A traditional family run village inn – TN32 5TD enjoyed by visitors and regulars alike – Open: Mon-Fri 12-11.00pm, and always offering a warm, inviting and Sat 12-11.30pm, Sun 12-11pm friendly atmosphere. Meals served: Mon-Fri 12-2, 6.30-9, The White Dog Inn has something for Sat 12-2.30, 6.30-9.30, everyone, whether it’s a quiet drink by the Sun 12-2.45, 6.30-9 open fire, a lazy day in our garden with the 01580 830264 children or some superb pub food. www.thewhitedogewhurst.co.uk

Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 23 Bru News

‘Darkness’ as it has become known, but in late November. New beers launched GREYHOUND American Brown will be a new one for at the event were Festive 51 and Smock Alley, West Chiltington, 07973 drinkers and comes as a result of Christmas Ale. December was 625510 several months of test brews in our extremely busy also with the new www.greyhoundbrewery.co.uk pilot brewery - ask to see that next recipe more hoppy Two Horses f:greyhound brewery time you pop in, it is a toy we are pretty selling very well. t:@greyhoundbrew proud of and is continuously busy The brewery bar and shop are trading The brewery had a brilliant 2016 with a developing new beers. well with the bar now open later on steady increase in sales, participation in BLO Clive Watson Friday evenings and also Saturday and many fantastic local events, some Sunday lunchtimes. More events are competition short-listings and wins, DOWNLANDS planned at the brewery in 2017 the along with two new staff members. Small Dole, 01273 495596. next being in late April. They plan to increase the number of www.downlandsbrewery.com Bottled beer is now being sold locally in brewery tours and tastings during 2017 The brewery has done well in 2016 in a number of Co Op branches and also and have some meet the brewer nights winning six awards, including a SIBA Hartleys off licence chain on the South planned too - so look out for them! gold, a CBoB regional silver for Black Coast. As well as continuing to produce the Seven Four and Beer of the Festival at Details of new beers and events can be core beer range in cask and bottles Didsbury and Croydon. They will be found on Firebird’s Facebook page. there are some exciting experiments to holding a rare open day on 6th May BLO Roger Tofts trial during 2017. 2017 to which everyone is invited. Amber Eyes, a 4.2% golden ale; Further details will be posted on their FRANKLINS Blonde Bird, a 3.9% golden pale ale; social media channels closer to the Bexhill, 01424 731066. B-46, a 4.6% dark amber ale; Good time. www.franklinsbrewery.co.uk Ordinary, a 3.8% bitter; Rainbow BLO Roger Coton Franklins moved to Ringmer in Eyes, a 5.2% copper ale; Blackbird, a September. They are making 5.4% porter; Booster, an American EWHURST ALES improvements to the current site and brown ale 4.4% and the hugely popular Ewhurst Green, 01580 830049. once these have been done they will be summer special Tree Frog, a 4.9% www.ewhurstales.com able to once again offer tours. A new hoppy pale ale will be available again A single beer is produced, White range, new image and keg, bottle and from March 2017. Dove, which is always on tap in the canned beers will be available in 2017. BLO Ray Pilkington nearby pub, the White Dog, Ewhurst BLO Mac McCutcheon Green, as well as being served in the GRIBBLE pop up pub in Jempson’s Café in GOLDMARK The Gribble Inn, Oving, 01243 786893. Wadhurst. Poling, nr Arundel, 01903 297838 / www.gribbleinn.co.uk At the time of writing, plans for the 07900 555415. www.goldmarks.co.uk It was a Merry Christmas at the Gribble coming year are still being formulated. Goldmark has just brought out a range Brewery this year with the introduction BLO Kris Cymer of canned beers; Vertigo Pilsner of the new Christmas Ale. Santa’s (4.8%), Hop Idol APA (4.4%), Sack (5.4%) is a ruby red ale, well FILO Moshpit IPA (5.6%). The cans are rounded with a sweet malty finish. It Hastings, 01424 420212. available from Hartleys and all good was available in cask and, a first for the www.filobrewing.co.uk beer sellers. The brewery has just Gribble, also as bottle conditioned. FILO’s winter brew Our Auld Ale, a installed a sixth fermenter to help meet This limited edition, bottled in Oving, 6.5% dark beer, has made its welcome demand. Spring monthly special beers was only available at the pub, where on return for the colder months, while will be WahWah IPA (5.2%), Gold purchasing four bottles you would demand for regulars Cardinal (4.6%), Bunny IPA (4.2%) and Ebony Mild receive the fifth free. There will be Crofters (3.8%), Old Town Tom (3.5%). more to come in 2017. (4.5%), Gold (4.8%) and Churches BLO Jim Waterston BLO Chris Wright Pale (4.2%) remain as strong as ever. BLO Bill Turner GOLDSTONE GUN Ditchling, 01444 257053 / 07748 Hawthbush Farm, Gun Hill, Heathfield, FIREBIRD 153735. 07900 683355. Rudgwick, 01403 823180. There is nothing new to report. [email protected] www.firebirdbrewing.co.uk BLO Paul Free The brewery continues to be busy with Firebird had a busy run up to Christmas additional space being brought into use starting with a very successful Brewfest as a cool storage area for cask conditioned beers. A new beer Red

2424 SussexSussex Drinker:Drinker: SpringSpring 20172017 Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 25 Bru News

Ale (4.4%) is now available, a full ‘Harvey’s is my wife. I drink guest beers HEPWORTH flavoured best bitter which is in in my local but it feels like a flirtation. I Horsham, 01403 269696. addition to the brewery's core range. always come back – and you are always www.hepworthbrewery.co.uk BLO Steve Obey constant’. Perhaps the imagery was a The new Brewery shop is now open bit extreme but it was delightful to hear and Hepworths will be booking tours HAMMERPOT and very reassuring! from February. Beercounter’s brewery Poling, nr Arundel, 01903 883338. The 2017 Harvey’s calendar celebrates is now up and running, the contact is www.hammerpot-brewery.co.uk the range of seasonal brews with the Peter Scholey on 01491 873474. Laines 2016 was a good year at the Vinery and new images produced by local artist Brewery Company will start operating there is hope that 2017 will be better Malcolm Trollope-Davis that reflect the there in the very near future, the although January and February are essence of both the concept and the contact there is Jack Hibberd on 07985 traditionally quiet. No big plans are in beers. January is represented by the 220318. place other than to expand distribution multi-award winning Prince of BLO Chris Stringer in light of pub openings and closings, Denmark, which made this Harvey’s and to update the brewing kit. This is drinker hope it would join the seasonal HIGH proving a tricky task however, so if beer range, sadly, this is not the case but East Grinstead, 07836 291430. anyone is aware of good quality brewing it is available for purchase for beer [email protected] kit available that would be potentially festivals. The move to a larger unit on the same suited to a small brewery, we would be The new Harvey’s Gold Bier and Malt premises is complete and gives a much pleased to pass any details on to Lee Brown can now be found on keg in improved operating environment. and the team. most of their pubs. Winter sales have been very active BLO Tim Walker BLO Ruth Anderson through markets and other seasonal events, particularly in the run up to HAND BREW HASTINGS Christmas. These focussed mainly on Brighton, 07508 814541 St Leonards-on-Sea, 01424 572050 / bottled beer with First Gold IPA www.handbrewpub.com 07708 259342.. (5.4%) joining the other core beers in Sales of the new brewery’s core range www.hastingsbrewery.co.uk this format, (not bottle conditioned). of beers have been going really well, Franklins have recently produced All four beers continue to be popular in which include Hop-Forward Pale Hastings Mosaic, a 4.8% pale ale, cask format in free houses both local (4%), Oatmeal Stout (5%) and Red greatly anticipated and tasted in the and farther afield, as well as at CAMRA IPA (5.4%). Plans are to introduce a Tower, St Leonards at the start of and other festivals. session IPA to the range and a seasonal December. Next to be available will be BLO Jonathan Samways coffee porter. The brewery is currently the award winning Hastings Porter. looking into funding options for the There is still no news of Hastings HOP YARD installation of new fermenting vessels restarting their own brewery though. Forest Row, 07769 313410. to better control fermentation and BLO Peter Page-Mitchell [email protected] move towards producing keg beers and There have been no major cans. HEATHEN BREWERS developments since the last report. BLO Keith Newell Haywards Heath, 01444 456217 / Golden Ale (5.0%) continues in full 07825 429428. production using plant at the HARVEY’S www.heathenbrewers.co.uk Westerham Brewery. The Forest Row Lewes, 01273 480209. Heathen is delighted to have become a 100-litre plant is used for the bottle- www.harveys.org.uk regular supplier to the Lockhart Tavern, conditioned version and test brews. It Head Brewer and Joint MD, Miles the excellent new Dark Star pub in is hoped to produce further beers in Jenner, sent out his usual ‘annual report’ Haywards Heath, which is only five the future. The Hop Barn bar and shop to the Harvey’s Hoppers in December. doors from the brewery. If you want to are open seven days a week with In this, he was pleased to report that find out when they have Heathen beer slightly extended opening times and the sale of their traditional cask beer on the bar, keep an eye on @ offer a range of beers, most of which delivered direct to free trade houses heathenbrewers on Facebook and are not locally available elsewhere. increased in 2016. He emphasised how Twitter. Ciders are also available. Golden Ale extremely fortunate they were to enjoy The Aged Chuffer smoked ale (7.5%), continues to be supplied to local the loyalty and support of the a collaboration brew between Heathen outlets. community at large. This was recently and Top Notch is well worth a try and BLO John Quick exemplified, he states, by the comments still available in bottles from the Grape of a gentleman leaving the sample room & Grain in Haywards Heath. at the end of a brewery tour who said BLO Ruth Anderson

2626 SussexSussex Drinker:Drinker: SpringSpring 20172017

Bru News

HURST warm and friendly environment. appearance. Number Eight will be Hurstpierpoint, 07866 438953. Kissingate’s Spring Festival will be held back in February to accompany the Six www.hurstbrewery.co.uk on Saturday 20th May. Details of Nations. Three awards were won at the BLO Steve Floor everything else that is going on can be inaugural Beer Awards 2016: Best found on the brewery website ‘Events’ Bitter, APA and Long Blonde all ISFIELD page. picked up Three Star awards. A brand Framfield, 01825 750633 / 07803 BLO Roy Bray new seasonal beer calendar is being 716758. rolled out for 2017 including numerous [email protected]. LAINE new beers and refreshed branding. BLO Phil Dixon The , Brighton, 01273 BLO Scott O’Rourke 683666. KEMPTOWN www.drinkinbrighton.co.uk/north-laine OLD PRENTONIAN Brighton, 07967 681203 A new brewer, Joseph Ringwood Sompting, 07708 690237. [email protected] brewed his first solo beer at the Laine www.opbrewing.co.uk Brewery in mid December. I wish him BLO Keith Newell Old Prentonian Brewery has plans for all the best and look forward to trying its development in 2017, but these it. The brewery has been experimenting KILN remain under wraps for the present. by adding various fruits to some of BLO Tim Walker Burgess Hill, 07800 556729. their brews, these have gone down very www.thekilnbrewery.co.uk well with the public. OLD TREE Two new beers have made an BLO Ruth Anderson appearance lately; one is named Brighton, 07413 064346. Southern Pale (5.2%) a golden Preston Barracks, Lewes Road, coloured refreshing ale, said to be an LANGHAM Brighton. ideal antidote to ‘the lack of trains Lodsworth, 01798 860861. Old Tree continues to thrive at its provided by Southern Rail’. It may be www.langhambrewery.co.uk home in the old Preston Barracks, renamed in the future, but whilst the BLO Peter Luff Lewes Road Brighton. They have been train service remains so bad the brewing a Winter Porter, (ABV brewery will continue to call it LISTER’S unknown), using hops grown on site Southern Pale. The other beer is called Ford, 01903 885950 / 07775 853412. and run the Field Café, in the same Session IPA, a hoppy ale (reputed www.listersbrewery.com building, as well as supplying Silo 4.5%). News of their partnership with restaurant. BLO Paul Free Battersea Dogs & Cats Home has BLO Andrew Coleman resulted in a great boost in sales for KISSINGATE Lister’s Brewery, which donates 5p PELLS BREWING CO-OP Lower Beeding, 01403 891335 from every pint and every bottle to The Elephant and Castle, Lewes. www.kissingate.co.uk Battersea. A new beer, Lister’s BLO TBC Kissingate Brewery had over 300 American Pale Ale (4.2%) has also visitors at their annual Christmas just been launched and complements PIN UP the growing range of easy drinking Festival. There were more than 14 Southwick, 01273 411127. favourites. Many more exciting things beers on stillage including two stars of www.pinupbrewingco.com are promised for 2017 from Lister’s: the show, Black Cherry Mild ‘En BLO Adrian Towler Plus’ (7.0%) and Smoked Out Stout new beers and new initiatives – watch (6.0%). this space! BLO Glenn Johnson POLARITY The brewery team was at full stretch Worthing, 07872 105300 during the festive period as requests for www.polaritybrewing.co.uk one-off specials and demand for core LONG MAN Rosetta’s Comet IPA has continued Litlington, 01323 871850 / beers increased significantly during the to sell well around the Worthing area 07976 777992. winter months. Bottle production has with sales building in the wider area. www.longmanbrewery.com increased too as the brewery has Polarity have received very good decided to release some of their beers Production of Old Man is in full swing feedback on their beer and are really to a few selected venues. with the colder weather and will be looking forward to launching more into Kissingate’s Micro Club nights, which available until April. This beer also their core range in the new year. There are held on the last Friday of every recently picked up a World Beer are a lot of exciting things planned, so month, are growing in popularity for Award! Sussex Pride returns in watch this space! those who enjoy a quiet pint, a bite to January for a one month guest BLO Gemma Mackay eat and maybe a few pub games in a 28 Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 28

Bru News

RECTORY enhancing the whole experience. These a Nitro Milk Stout. Two Tribes are one Streat, 01273 890570. are all sourced locally from Wittersham. of the breweries taking part in Brighton BLO TBC For those whose first drinking choice is Tap Takeover on March 31st to April not beer, a variety of wines is available 2nd. Full details at RIVERSIDE to which one from Barbera in Italy has www.taptakeover.co.uk. The team have Unit 6, Beeding Court Business Park, recently been added. 95% of all wines put some informative short videos on Shoreham Road, Upper Beeding, West are sourced directly from the producer. You Tube, which you can find if you Sussex, BN44 3TN, 01903 898030 BLO Peter Harrison search for “two tribes brewery”. www.riversidebreweryltd.co.uk BLO Mike Head Riverside launched their winter ale, TOP NOTCH Leaping Lord (6.5%), on 1st Haywards Heath, 07963 829368. UNBARRED November, which has been incredibly www.topnotchbrewing.co.uk Hove, 07850 070471. well received and selling like hot mince A busy couple of months in the www.unbarredbrewery.com pies. The beer is styled on an old brewery, the highlight of which was the Congratulation if you were lucky English recipe, with the addition of all invitation to supply the thousandth cask enough to get your hands on a bottle of the spices used in Mike’s wife’s ale to be tapped at the Surrey and Brighton Strong for Christmas, as it Christmas pudding. The brewery has Sussex Regional Pub of the Year, the sold out in 48 hours. Their next beer, a had a very productive and profitable Brooksteed Alehouse. Two casks of 5% Grapefruit IPA, will be available at year and has firmly established a client Brooksteed1000 were produced in the Equinox festival in Horsham Feb base both for cask and bottled beer. collaboration with Nick and Paula who 24/25th. Plans for 2017 are to expand the specified the strength, style and hops BLO Mike Head customer base, and to finally get the that they wanted in the beer. The result brewery licenced. was a 5.5% American pale ale with WELTONS BLO Phil Boiling Mosaic and Amarillo hops. Nick was Horsham, 01403 242901. hoping that the two casks would last www.weltonsbeer.co.uk from the Wednesday through the Good news! The regular monthly ROTHER VALLEY weekend but in the event both casks Northiam, 01797 252922 / 07798 Friday evening drinking sessions at the drank out within 48 hours! 877551. brewery will restart on 3rd February Top Notch is now established as a www.rothervalleybrewery.co.uk and will then be on the first Friday of regular supplier to The Lockhart Tavern [email protected] each month. The brewery will be open in Haywards Heath, hoping to have at A new beer will be available in February for off sales on some Saturdays. See least one beer on the list for a limited called Janus Pale (4.2%). This is website for details. Bottled beers will period each month. Bonzer, Old another beer from the Resurrection be available and also at Beer Essentials Chuffer, (in collaboration with Hop Range. Janus hops were developed in Horsham and Middle Farm at Firle Heathen Brewery), and Royal Fanfare in the 1950s from a New Mexican hop near Lewes. More good news is that have already appeared. It is great to and Eastwell Goldings. The beer will be the rock music evenings will resume in have the Dark Star pub in town with lightly bittered with heavy floral tones. the summer at the brewery, starting on regular local offerings. BLO Dawn Lincoln 7th May. New beers include the Rugby Coming in 2017 will be Risky Shift beers and Subterranean Homesick (4.8%) APA in 500ml bottles. Currently Blues for Bob Dylan fans and beer THREE LEGS being trialled are a sweet milk stout, lovers alike. Look out for a 6% dry Udimore Road, Brede, East Sussex single malt/hop recipes and a keg hopped IPA in March brewed in thethreelegs.co.uk info@thethreelegs. double IPA possibly at 7.5%. memory of WW1 and WW2 hero Ira co.uk BLO Keith Newell Jones and the welcome return of Brewing and sales remain at capacity. Headless Horseman and Foreign Extra Stout, has been renamed TWO TRIBES Churchillian Stout. Imperial Dark Extra. Still at 6.6% it has Horsham, 01403 272102 Festive (10.0%) aged in wooden become a permanent beer, due to its www.twotribesbrewing.com barrels was brewed ready for popularity, and remains available bottle The 5% White IPA flavoured with Christmas. conditioned only. The Brewery Tap bitter orange was selling well in the run BLO Nigel Bullen continues to thrive, with popularity up to Christmas. In their keg and can ever increasing. It has been enclosed range, both Island Records beers are for the winter and is heated, thus selling very strongly and Rock Steady providing a very cosy place for a few Pale at 4.4% is due to be launched at beers. Additionally three varieties of Craft Beer Rising in London at the end cheese are available, plus two salami, so of Feb. The latest new Two Tribes beer is

30 Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 30 Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 31 Cider House Notes CIDER HOUSE NOTES

Green Man Ale and Cider House beautifully carved Just a short article this time, in praise of the wooden green man newest micropub in Worthing. The Green Man above the cool store Ale and Cider House opened to the public in an old corner shop on 7th October 2016, and was an immediate hit with real ale and cider drinkers alike – four real ales on at any one time, and door, and you can also when I was visiting there were eight different see this symbol on the real ciders, served from bag in boxes kept in the window and entrance door. cool room along with the ales. I did If you feel peckish , Les has an agreement with only have a half of the local tapas bar so that if you wish to eat one cider, the while drinking in the pub, you can order tapas Burrow Hill arf ‘n’ to be delivered to your table – useful, as most arf, but the range is micropubs don’t serve hot food, only serving good and the owner, cold snacks at best. Les Johnson, looks after all the ciders All the reviews I’ve seen have been very and beers well – the favourable, and it really is well worth a visit! arf ‘n’ arf is an Green Man Ale & Cider House interesting option, 17 South Street, Tarring, Worthing, BN14 7LG being a blend of Tel 07984 793877 medium and dry Open Mon – Sat 12-9, Sun 12-4 from Burrow Hill, and tasted excellent. My fellow drinker was not Wassail! used to drinking cider, but was persuaded to try the Kentish Pip Elderflower Cider, and she thoroughly enjoyed it.

Other ciders on were Hallets ( a cider and a perry), Garden Cider Co., Thistly Cross Whisky cask, and Orchard Pig Navelgazer. The Wassail at JB’s orchard 4 ales on were priced very reasonably, in Maplehurst on especially the Hurst Old Acquaintance, at £3.60 Saturday 7th January a pint for a 6.5% beer. Ciders were either £4 or went very well, with £3.80 or £3.90 per pint, depending on the plenty of cider imbibed supplier. and a roaring bonfire to warm everyone up during the wassail ceremony, and afterwards Les explained that the place was named the drinking around the fire! Green Man in memory of his wood carving Jackie Johnson friend who died 3 years ago – there is a Brighton & South Downs Branch Cider Rep 32 Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 Pressing News PRESSING NEWS

Welcome to a new year, soon you will be able to (Danehill). In South East Sussex The Albatross Club sample the fruits of the 2016 harvest. During the (Bexhill-on-Sea). Lastly a selection from Brighton & autumn, I spent time helping John Batcheldor (JB) South Downs, Snowdrop Inn (Lewes), Gardener’s collecting apples for his cider and Village Green Arms (Lewes), Black Horse (Lewes), Hand in Hand Cider pressing apples. Both were great days out with (Brighton), Brighton Beer Dispensary (Brighton), plenty of fresh air and exercise; you certainly know Watchmakers Arms (Hove), Piston Broke you have had a work out after shovelling apples into (Shoreham-by-sea), Stanley Arms (). the cleaning tank. Keep it quiet but you often get a ‘reward’ for your work and you get to meet new We would like to congratulate Simon and Beth who people. If you really like cider give the makers a hand celebrated their 35th year in the White Horse next autumn. (Maplehurst), on January 5th, 29 of those years have been marked in the Good Beer Guide. So how do you get access to real cider. My solution to that is to provide you with details of some of the If you have any information about pubs serving real pubs that I have visited that sell what CAMRA cider/perry especially if I ought to have listed them considers to be real cider. Here are a few of the places above, please e-mail me at that I have been that sell the real stuff, In North [email protected]. Sussex The White Horse (Maplehurst), The Malt Shovel (Horsham), The Black Jug (Horsham), The Paul Sanders Brewery Shades (Crawley), The Coach & Horses Surrey & Sussex Regional Cider Coordinator

We are a country pub situated The Sussex Oak deep in the heart of Sussex. Here you will find a large 2 Church Street Come along to The The Spotted Cow selection of local and national Spotted Cow at 1 High Street ales on 8 hand pumps. Warnham Nr Horsham Angmering to savour a Angmering We have an extensive food Real country Pub with West Sussex menu prepared from fresh RH12 3QW Home cooked Fresh BN16 4AW local ingredients. Food. Fresh local food served 01903 783919 lunch and dinner We have been awarded Monday to Sunday. Open: a Finest Cask Marque Mon-Thu 11-3, 5.30-11 for our Real Ales, Fri-Sat 11-11 In the CAMRA Sun 12-10.30 2017 Good usually 6 on tap to Beer Guide Meals: and CAMRA enjoy. Good Pub Mon-Sat 12-2, 6.30-9 Food Guide In 2014 we are the Sun 12-3, 6.30-8.30 proud winners of The thespottedcowangmering Large Garden and field. Pub of the Year, South Good Beer Guide Celebrating 15 years in the & South East in Bloom. Come and celebrate Great Beer in front of our roaring log fire 01403 265028 The-Sussex-Oak-at-Wareham www.spottedcowangmering.co.uk

Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 33 Diary Dates

CAMRA EVENTS IN BOLD. For FREE inclusion in this column, contact the Editor; for PAID advertisements contact Neil Richards. Copy-by date and contact details on p. 46. Feb 10-12 Gardeners Arms, Lewes, nine Mar 23-25 SUSSEX CAMRA cask ales and a real cider with the focus on BRANCHES 27TH BEER AND CIDER strong dark beers. FESTIVAL, Brighton Racecourse, Thu 5-10pm; Fri 11am-3pm, 5pm-10pm; Sat 11am- Feb 24-25 CAMRA SPRING EQUINOX 7pm. See page 5 for more details. FESTIVAL, Drill Hall, Denne Road, Horsham RH12 1JF. New Friday 6-10pm session, then Apr 13-17 Crown, Eastbourne Easter Beer Sat 12-4 and 6-10. Festival, see page 48 for details. Contact [email protected] for more details, and to check availability on the door. Apr 13-17 Easter Ale and Gin Festival, The Egremont, 32 Brighton Road, Worthing, BN11 Mar 2-4 Brooksteed Spring Minifest. 10 cask 3ED, Facebook theegremont. beers. 12:00-21:30 all three days. Brooksteed Alehouse, 38 South Farm Road, Worthing Apr 15-16 Third Arun Yacht Club Annual BN14 7AE. CAMRA 2016 Regional Pub of the Beer Fest. Sat 12-11pm, Sun 12-4pm. Free Year. Check website for updates Entry. Arun Yacht Club, Ropewalk, Riverside www.brooksteedalehouse.co.uk West, Littlehampton. BN175DL. 01903 716016 www.arunyc.co.uk. Mar 9 Train to London Pubs, TTLP34 to Southwest London: Kingston, Hampton Court Apr 15-16 Victoria Easter Weekend Beer and Surbiton including the Antelope and the Festival, Eastbourne, see page 31. Albion, both run by the Big Smoke Apr 22 St George’s Celebration. Firebird microbrewery. To be included on mailout list Brewery, Rudgwick. For more details call contact Pete Brown, 01243-552908, 01403 823180 or by email [email protected] . [email protected].

Mar 10-12 Amberley Museum Spring Ale Apr 28-May 1 Jolly Tanners Beer Festival, Festival. Selection of Sussex ales and ciders at Staplefield. 20+ beers and a range of ciders. our second annual Spring Ale Festival. Museum www.jollytanners.com. open as usual during the day, evening sessions on Friday and Saturday (pre-booked tickets Apr 28-May 1 6th Annual Beer & Cider only). Enquiries to 01798 831370 or Festival at the Anchor, Church St, Hartfield. www.amberleymuseum.co.uk/2017-events. 01892 770424 or see theancorhartfield on Facebook for more details. Mar 17-18 Ale and Arty, Bexhill. Charity Real Ale and Cider Festival with Live Music at Apr 28-May 2 Duke of Wellington, the De La Warr Pavilion. Three sessions: Friday Shoreham-by-Sea, Beltane Beer & Music evening, Saturday afternoon and Saturday Festival, dukeofwellingtonbrewhouse.co.uk. evening. Tickets are available from the De La Warr ticket office. May 5 Train to London Pubs, TTLP35 to East London: Leyton & Walthamstow areas. To be 34 Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 Diary Dates included on mailout list contact Pete Brown, May 26 - 29 Anchor Inn, Ringmer, Bank 01243 552908, [email protected]. Holiday Beer Festival with over 20 cask ales com. and real ciders. Barbecue, live music and free entry. May 6 Downlands Open day at the brewery in Small Dole. May 26 - 2* EASTBOURNE SPRING BEER FESTIVAL see page 29 for details. May 12-14 28TH YAPTON BEER FESTIVAL, Yapton & Ford Village Hall, see May 27 Adur Valley Beer Walk, noon to 6pm. back page for details. Between Adur and Riverside breweries, page 4.

May 13-14 Bill Targett Memorial Steam May 28 Shoreham Dogs Trust Fun Day, Rally, Highbridge Farm, Highbridge Road, Brighton Road, Shoreham-by-Sea West Sussex Eastleigh, Hampshire SO50 6HN. BN43 5LT, Sunday 11:30am to 4pm.

May 20 Kissingate Spring BeerFest from Jun 16-17 21ST SOUTH DOWNS BEER 11am to 8pm at the brewery in Lower Beeding. AND CIDER FESTIVAL Lewes Town Hall. For more details call 01403 891335 or see their Friday 11am to 3pm and 5pm to 10.30pm; web site: www.kissingate.co.uk. Saturday 11am to 8pm.

May 19-22 Magical Faerie Festival, Pleasant Aug 8-12 GREAT BRITISH BEER Rise Farm, Alfriston, East Sussex, FESTIVAL, Olympia, London www.magicalfestivals.co.uk. www.gbbf.org.uk

Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 35 Beer Festival Reports

28th Yapton Beerex emerging triumphant among the 25 Green Hop Preparations are now well underway for the beers showcased. 28th Yapton Beerex, brought to you by the Western Sussex branch. The venue remains the Trains were operated with Heritage Diesels same, Yapton & Ford Village Hall, and doors throughout the event, supplemented by a Steam open at 6.00.pm on Friday May 12th. This year, locomotive on Sunday, and ran from Tunbridge the Saturday session runs straight through from Wells West station to Eridge via Groombridge 11.00.am – 9.00.pm with reduced entry tickets through the attractive High Weald countryside. available after 5.00.pm. Once again, there will Over 130 be a vintage open top Southdowns bus from casks of outside the Murrell Arms, near Barnham beer station, to the venue. Full details of the event mostly along with ticket information can be found on from the back page of this edition of Sussex Drinker. Kent, We will be wanting plenty of willing volunteers Sussex to help stage this event once again and a staffing and form can be obtained from Mick Reynolds London, 30 Kent and Sussex ciders and 25 keg (email [email protected]). You can and key keg beers from the UK, Belgium and also get up-to-the-minute details about the Holland were served at bars at each of the event by following @YaptonBeerex on Twitter stations, with the Victorian Engine Shed at and on the Facebook page. Hopefully there will Tunbridge Wells forming the main bar. be plenty of sunshine to enable outside drinking Passengers enjoying the five mile ride could on the village green for what is always a very also sample beer and cider on two of the train popular event. sets.

Spa Valley Railway festival 2016 festival-goers proved themselves to be The 6th Spa Valley Railway ale and cider both adventurous and intrepid as evidenced by festival in association with West Kent CAMRA voting for ‘Beer of the Festival’. In joint second was held place were Downlands brewery’s Red October from and By the Horns’s Old Smoke Tea Bitter, Friday brewed with lightly smoked malt and a blend of 21st to hops combined with Earl Grey Ceylon tea. Sunday Taking first prize was Kew brewery’s 23rd Nightshade, a rich porter infused with chillis – October delicious, not deadly! and was Along with live music, Morris dancing and the biggest and busiest to date with around food available at each station, the Spa Valley 11,000 pints of beer and cider consumed by a festival offers a fun and varied day out for all so thirsty public. make a note of the 20th,21st and 22nd October The festival marks the conclusion of Kent in your 2017 diaries for the 7th Real Ale and Green Hop Beer Month and incorporated the Cider Festival and Autumn Diesel Gala. first tasting panel and judging competition on Don Croker the Thursday evening, with Old Dairy Bullion

36 Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 Beer Festival Reports

Arun & Adur Beer Festival 2016 Thank you to all the staff that volunteered to make 2016 A&A annual beer festival the best so far with more than 1800 attendees

Morris A&A branch social sectary at the Five Bells, Smock Alley. 2016 has been a successful second year for the brewery, winning Silver for the Blonde Bird in the 2016 International Beer Challenge and now CAMRA A&A Beer of the This year the festival was held at the new venue, Festival. Worthing’s Assembly Hall and Richmond Other awards will be presented to Long Man Room, featuring more than 130 ales and 25 Brewery and Lilley’s early in 2017. ciders. For more details of our branch meetings, social This year local breweries were invited to have a events, brewery trips etc, please visit our web trade stand where visitors could ask questions site at www.aaa-camra.org.uk Or visit us at about the beers directly to the brewers. The Facebook at ‘Arun and Adur Camra’. introduction of brewery trips to new members encouraged 133 to join this year, up from 50 the previous year. Nick, owner of the Brooksteed The Rose Alehouse in Worthing, was in charge of & Crown ordering the festival’s ales, and having been Burwash awarded POTY (pub of the year) for Surrey and The Rose & Crown Sussex as well as being shortlisted for the is situated in a lane national award of POTY, we knew we were in off the High Street. safe hands. Thanks also to Debbi from the Beer Built in the 1480s parts of this beautiful pub date Tent for ordering another great selection of back to Tudor times. The pub has historic timbers ciders and perries. everywhere, an original internal well and a cozy open log fire. All visitors were able to vote for their favourite Open all day it offers a good selection of Harveys beer or cider of the festival in three different beers, good choice of English and continental categories and the results are as follows; dishes made with locally-sourced produce. Overall Beer of the Festival - Greyhound Four en-suite letting rooms Amber Eyes; Sussex Beer of the Festival - Long to make your stay enjoyable Man Old Man; Cider of the Festival – Lilley’s and with two pretty Darksider. gardens it’s the perfect spot for lunch after a visit to Congratulations to Nick & Sarah Allen and Sam Kipling’s nearby home. of Greyhound Brewery, West Chiltington for Ham Lane. Burwash, TN19 7ER Amber Eyes being voted Overall Beer of the Tel: 01435 882 600 Festival. The certificate was presented by Neil www.theroseandcrownburwash.co.uk

Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 37 Spotlight on Breweries

Hepworth’s New Brewery three colleagues: Tim Goacher, John Tewson After 15 years brewing in The Railway Yard, and Paul Webb, plus friends’ & family’s Horsham, Hepworth & Co Brewers Ltd have financial backing the Company went from relocated to a purpose-built brewery in strength to strength. Pulborough. “It was a huge investment for a fledgling company but worth every penny to fulfill the dream of establishing our own brewery and now we’ve moved to bigger & better premises to keep pace with demand,” said Andy.

“In 2000, I wanted to be sure that we had the In keeping with Andy Hepworth’s philosophy very best equipment if we were to produce the of “buy local”, the new brewery has been finest beer.” developed by Landbuild of Pulborough. The new site has the capacity to allow production to The strategy worked. Within a short while grow by 300% and has been producing beer & Hepworths were winning accolades & filling lager since July this year. The Visitors’ Centre, 40,000 bottles a day. Brewery Tours & Retail Shop are now open. Since those Following the early days, the closure of business has Horsham’s old continued to brewery, where grow. Packing Andy was Head is now Brewer, automated and Hepworth’s staffing has increased from 4 to 30 and there are was founded in plans to grow even more; anyone interested in the millennium and began brewing in February joining Hepworth’s happy band of brewers 2001 – a big step to take but with the support of should visit their website: www.

38 Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 Spotlight on Breweries hepworthbrewery.co.uk , which details their • Traditional floor-malting helps to break- vacancies, as well as featuring the brands and down the gluten. how they are produced. • Enhanced boiling causes the gluten to precipitate. A policy of local sourcing and utilising the • Meticulous fine, cold, filtration removes skills of local producers plays a vital part in any residue – (an alternative to Hepworth’s brewing process: pasteurisation). • No additives or preservatives are used in “Sussex farmers are excellent” says Andy. this traditional process. “Their skills make our job much, much easier!” • After the beer has been made the residual products are put to good, local use too: Goodwood Farm Estate provides organic barley • Spent yeast – goes to local farmers to to Hepworth’s specification and Andy meets fertise their land with Goodwood’s Estate manager, Tim • Spent grain – goes to local farmers for Hassell, regularly to review their harvest. animal feed • Water recovery – hot water is diverted to Likewise, a close partnership exists with our the office unfloor heating system hop growers, states Andy “and they are award • Waste water – goes into the newly built winners too!” reed bed filtration system before irrigating The latest seasonal cask ale: Daws IPA, is a local fields. homage to Chris Daws who grows & supplies • Recycling – all paper, card & plastic many of the hops used in the brewing process. packaging is taken away for future use.

The Brewery forward contract much of their In addition to being a very productive brewery, ingredients, which involves a commitment Andy plans to not only provide Tutored between buyer and seller to purchase a Brewery Tours but eventually have a “Brewers particular product over a certain period; that School” above the Shop & Visitor Centre, way Hepworths are assured of securing the hop where the students will learn his skills & and barley varieties they need and the farmer is methods of producing “prize-winning pints”. assured of a sale at the agreed price before Dark Star they’ve grown & harvested it. Dark Star has opened its new pub, the Lockhart Without that assurance and Hepworth’s trust in Tavern, in Haywards Heath. The pub, which their skills, the Brewery would have to buy on previously traded as a cocktail bar, is the the spot market and could not be sure of the brewer’s second venture with Heath Ball, high quality that they rely upon to consistently owner of award ­winning London gastropub the brew such top quality ales & lagers. Red Lion & Sun, Highgate. It underwent an extensive renovation and refurbishment before Through Andy’s knowledge & methods, most opening to the public in November. The of the beers brewed are naturally gluten free. Lockhart Tavern will offer a range of cask and This is achieved by following a simple yet keg beers similar to that of the Red Lion & Sun. meticulous process: Dark Star plans to open approximately 20 sites • Low protein barley – (Gluten is a protein across the south­east over the next five years. found in cereal crops)

Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 39 Ballards Beer Walk 2016 Sunday 4th December Ballards Beer Walk 2016 Plenty of familiar faces to greet around the The Ballards Brewery annual charity beer walk brewery yard as the branch is far from the only has become a cherished institution in the source of western part of Sussex. This is how it goes from regulars for the perspective of a regular Chichester based this fine CAMRA member. The event starts off at the gathering. Ballards Brewery itself in the very rural village Hot bacon of Nyewood. The Western Sussex CAMRA sandwiches branch organises a special bus to take people to are on sale at and from Worthing, Littlehampton, Barnham the top of the and Chichester. After squeezing through the yard and then narrow lanes to the surprise of oncoming its time to grab a Split and settle in for the motorists and cylists diving for the ditches, we performance of the Prize Old Mummers. arrive about a quarter past ten and head for the bar. The Mummers are instantly recognisable in their colourful and flamboyantly distressed home-made costumes.

Fran at Ballards brews a special strong winter They take their name from the former Gales ale or Barley Wine each year, which is launched Prize Old Ale and the way they re-invent the at the walk, with all venues along the way George and the Dragon tale to take in topical selling it. The series is known as “Old Bounder” events and a “Pompey Lass” of shall we say and this year’s example delights in the name of dubious provenance may also owe its “Split” (8.5%). No prizes for guessing why, inspiration of that venerable pick-me-up. Much whatever one’s personal feelings on said event. – intentional – laughter ensues and the charity The name was to be become even more bucket circulates. I understand that £400 was appropriate later in the day. Apart from the raised toward a new roof at St Mary’s Church in Split, the rest of the regular Ballards range is Chithurst. Then its time for the walking element also available from the light and refreshing of what has been up to that point a mildly static Golden Bine, to the warming Wassail. I plump event. for the “Wild” which is an excellent 50/50 Once upon a time not so long ago, there were combination of Mild with the aforementioned six suitable hostelries within staggering and Wassail. sliding distance, but the years have reduced that

40 Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 Ballards Beer Walk 2016 to the White Hart at South Harting, the Three the Elsted Inn, although a longer and muddier Horseshoes at Elsted and the Elsted Inn. The footpath larger group, who prefer muddy footpaths over route across fields and banks to road walking, head for the fields is Three Horseshoes and gradually separate into annually small groups according to pace. Some of the discussed steeper banks are a little slidey, but loose sticks and then can make for substitute walking poles and discarded. nobody seems to be lost, whether in a ditch or By this just lost. Which makes for a welcome change in point, I’m not too sure what my next drink was, some cases. although it wasn’t Split or the regular Otter, so it was probably Golden Bine again. The Elsted The walk isn’t too taxing, but in the cold always put on a barbeque, but having lunched weather the and then been lightly taunted over bench- Three splitting mass, I cannot report on it. I recall an Horseshoes excellent venison burger last year. makes welcome This is where the bus comes to pick up our ever sight. The more motley crew, but its not straight home by beer queue any means. First there is a pilgrimage to the in the most Westerly beautiful if cramped old pub is totally worth the Harveys pub wait and I emerge with Golden Bine and a Hip along the A272, Hop from nearby Langhams. The pub garden is the White Horse one of the finest in all of Sussex in my opinion at Rogate. The and we spread ourselves over the various tables new tenants and benches to scoff our lunch and slake our have only put on thirst. When lunch is finished a brazier offers two staff and warmth to those who huddle round and try not two ales – Best and Old – despite due warning to get downwind of the smoke. from the branch but we all get served with satisfying Harveys in due course. The Old was Unfortunately, my choice of table and bench Best for me, no confusion. had proved to be a rotten one and as I move to get up, the bench makes like an Old Bounder After that its back on the bus and another stop at and splits, depositing me backwards onto the the Coach and Horses at Compton, another grass, to much hilarity from my companions. GBG regular with some fine ales and a doubly We inform a passing staff member and luckily relieving experience. After a mixture of sing Fran the brewer is on the next bench, for me to songs and snores according to preference and pass on the blame for my inadvertent act of sensibility, we are gently poured off at vandalism. “He called his beer ‘Split’, I drank it Chichester station thanking our driver and and look what just happened!” Fran’s a jolly admiring those to head on. If you haven’t been good fellow, so he takes that in good part, as it before, or even if you have, put the first Sunday was intended. in December in your calendar for 2017!

It’s a relatively short walk alongside the lane to Guy Parfect

Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 41 Staggeringly Good Brewery Visit What better antidote to the annual messages Staggeringly Good about a “dry January” from all the usual joy- killing suspects than to get the first brewery Brewery Visit visit of the New Year in early? So it was that some of the other usual suspects from Western came the serious business of sorting us all out Sussex CAMRA decided to get in touch with with a beer. He does do some very fine ones and one of our favourite new breweries just across those on draught offer today were, the boundary which divides our great county of Staggersaurus 4% pale ale, Post Impact Porter Sussex from the really very nice folk of 5.4%, Dawn Stealer 5.2% black IPA, and Hampshire, for what was billed as a Jolly Boys VelociRapture 6.5% IPA. As the strap-line Outing, and so it proved. goes, this is beer for people who ride dinosaurs.

Well, seeing as it wasn’t quite 12 yet, which might as well be dawn on a grey weekend morning in January, i thought it best to start off with the Dawn Stealer. Packed with hops it was very tasty. Once we all had a drink ready and had contributed our £3, Joe began to tell us about the brewery origins. It came out of a home brew operation where he and his friends Jon and Russ had decided it would be fun to Joe Ross at Staggeringly Good brewery was brew their beer for a stag do with which they more than happy to meet our request to assist us were closely implicated. Well, the beer went with staggering into 2017 and so it was that the down so well that the boys desired to go pro. morning of Saturday 7th of January saw us put Initial operations were in the Brewhouse and ourselves in the increasingly dubious hands of Kitchen pub in Guildhall Walk. It was only Southern Rail for a trip to Portsmouth. About about a year before both operations outgrew 15 mins walk from Fratton station, round this sharing arrangement. So it was that the behind the football ground of broken dreams, current brewery was born, to avoid dinosaur an impressively sizeable gathering of CAMRA toes being trodden on. crew was duly assembled outside the gym. Hang on, that can’t be right; few of this bunch will have seen the inside of a gym in a few years, myself included, but here the gym and the brewery are next-door neighbours, just so all those healthy folk can undo all their hard work.

Joe beckoned us inside the brewery door, where we noted with initial alarm just how bijou the front bar and shop area was. Luckily, behind Joe told us about how they couldn’t get a loan, there lurked a tasting area of several tables and due to being too new for the banks and not new upended ex-kegs for seats. Joe has met us enough for the enterprise scheme. So the before, so before launching into the talk, first brewery had to be entirely privately financed,

42 Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 Staggeringly Good Brewery Visit which in turn meant everything had to be built By this time we had moved to an honesty by themselves to save every penny, before they system on our next beers, with money placed in could start production. It’s an impressive the bucket. We were trusted to pour our own acheivement. beers, or 50/50 mix of beer and froth according to personal technique and choice of beer. The Dawn Stealer was the lively one. Joe was a fantastic and fascinating host and i can truly say that we had a smashing time! Especially two of us. Blue jeans and chinos are so much classier when smelling of spilt beer, right?

The day then continued for many of the group with trips to two of Portsmouth’s best Good A few stragglers were sorted out with beer, then Beer Guide pubs; the Leopold and the Hole in Joe told us about their current operations and the Wall, where many good brews were we got into the whole cask vs key keg sampled, before heading to the station to see discussion. from a brewers perspective; the which trains home Southern had cancelled. A price at which the cask and keg products are Staggeringly Good day out! sold in various establishments and the costs Guy Parfect associated with dealing with each. Joe is of the Western Sussex Branch view that the costs of each are surprisingly similar, despite the disposable nature of key kegs. This is because of the cost of collecting empty casks and then heating huge amounts of water to clean them out. Following from this, Joe is also of the view that the sale price of each could be equalised out. Naturally as ale consumers we all want to buy tasty ale or beer with quality hops and grains at an affordable price, so an evening out can be a regular thing and not a luxury. But our small brewers have to make a return on their considerable investment to keep their lovely beers heading our way. Plenty to think about and many more topics were broached.

Traditional Pub with coastal views serving great Food, Ales and Wines. Check out our Website and Facebook for events and what’s happening at The Hope! hopeinnnewhaven.co.uk 01273 515389 West Pier, Newhaven, BN9 9DN

Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 43 Presentations

South East Sussex Branch Awards For the first time in 2016 the Branch awarded a It would have been difficult, though not runner’s up Pub of the Year certificate, with the impossible, for another club to have been made Globe Inn Marsh, Rye gaining that spot well Branch Club of the Year following the success ahead of the third placed pub. This was the first of the Albatross RAFA Club of Bexhill in the CAMRA award for the Globe in its first year in national competition, (a feat well documented the Good Beer Guide, apart from an appearance in previous issues of the Sussex Drinker), and back in 1977 when the pub was very different. given that it was such a clear winner in the It is part of a small local pub chain, Ramblinns, previous branch competition. Sure enough it with all its pubs in south east Sussex or south was the 2016 branch Club of the Year and went west Kent. Two house beers are brewed for on again to win the Sussex and regional awards, Ramblinns by Tonbridge Brewery and the congratulations once again to head bar steward, Globe has three other local brews on offer. It is Karen Pelham, and her staff. a creatively designed and furnished, food orientated pub with a unique open plan bar, The other awards which provide a passport to with the beers complemented by a selection of Sussex competitions and maybe further were real ciders. also won in 2016 by the 2015 winner. The Tower in St. Leonards won both the Branch Pub of the Year and Cider & Perry Pub of the Year. This pub is a favourite as it stocks up to six real ales, two from Dark Star and four ever changing from a good variety of breweries, including local ones, and sells them at competitive prices. Its cider credentials are good too, selling up to six in a good range of styles. In addition it has the feel of a traditional pub, but brought up to date by showing plenty of sport on multiple screens.

The picture shows the presentation being made to Julie and Thomas, representing Ramblinns.

Another first was the North East Sussex Sub Branch’s awarding its Pub of the Year to the King’s Head, East Hoathly. On the same evening the proprietors Robert and Tracie were also awarded a certificate to mark ten consecutive years in the Good Beer Guide with the publication of the 2017 edition. The pub is the brewery tap of the adjacent 1648 Brewery, The picture shows proprietor Louisa Gover but serves a guest beer as well. The building behind her bar with Branch Chair Peter Adams started life as the village school, but has been an at the presentation at the pub in June. inn since 1765.

44 Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 Presentations

The CAMRA Branch was split down the middle in determining its Community Pub of the Year Award, and even when a run off was held between the top two pubs, the vote remained tied. One of these, the Crown in Eastbourne’s Old Town, had previously won the 2015 LocAle Pub of the Year in its first year in the Good Beer Guide. Proprietors Andrew and Joanna Plumbley run a pub with a large and loyal following from the local population. It is a cosy pub in the winter with two log fires and for the summer boasts the largest pub garden in Pictured are John Packer, Chair of the Sub Eastbourne. Its beer offering unusually in the Branch, left, with Robert and Tracie. area features four easily recognisable bitters, each with its loyal following amongst the No stranger to CAMRA awards, the White regulars, these are supplemented by one or two Rock Hotel, Hastings was Branch Pub of the guest beers, which are further augmented at Year in 2008, shortly after gaining its place in beer festival time, which happens three times a the Good Beer Guide, which it has maintained year. to date. Since then it was awarded LocAle Branch Pub of the Year in 2013 and 2014 and won the same in 2016. Owners Laurence and Lauren Bell started out with a policy of only stocking Sussex ales and this has continued from when the bar was given a complete make over and four handpumps to this day. There is always a range of beer styles available in this hotel bar which is attractively situated on the sea front, overlooking the renovated pier. Pictured is landlord Andrew with the Branch Vice Chair.

The other winning pub is a community rural pub, in complete contrast, with attractive views across the adjacent Rother The picture shows Branch Vice Chair, Phil Valley. The Cozens (left) with Laurence behind his bar. Halt at Salehurst is also a previous CAMRA award winner, having been voted Country Pub

Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 45 Presentations

of the Year in 2013 to the credit of proprietors now housed in a beautiful Victorian building Karen Collier-Keywood, Gail Augarde and originally built as an indoor cattle market in the Andrew Augarde who on the occasion of the heart of Ulverston. Stan Laurel was born in 2016 presentation were also awarded a Ulverston so all their certificate for ten consecutive years in the Good beers are named after Beer Guide. There are four handpumps of Laurel and Hardy which one is dedicated to cider, while the beers films, songs and show a strong local bias. This pub is also sayings etc. Even their popular with locals, but with a smaller two fermenters are catchment than the Crown, attracts a loyal called Laurel and following of walkers and other visitors from a Hardy! The picture wider community. shows the brewer, Paul with the Beer of With both winner and runner up of the main the Festival competition being town pubs, this meant a Certificate, in front of Country Pub of the Year award was made to the ‘Ollie’ the fermenter. Tiger at East Dean. Another brewery tap, this time for the Beachy Head brewery from the same village, the pub also features beers from larger neighbouring breweries, Harvey’s and Long Man, as well as other occasional guests. The pub is attractively set in one corner of the village green and in good weather patrons spill out across the grass. At the time of writing the award had not been made, the Branch being due The Sussex Beer of the Festival and therefore to visit at the end of January to congratulate and winner of the ‘Bev Robbins Award’ at the 2016 make the award to proprietor Rebecca Vasey. Sussex Branches Beer Festival was won by the 10% Murder of Crows, a complex double Peter Adams mashed Imperial Stout from Kissingate South East Sussex Branch Brewery. This beer was especially popular Sussex Branches Beer of the amongst the volunteers! This is the second Festival 2016 occasion the The Beer of the Festival at the 2016 Sussex brewery has won Branches Beer Festival was won by Fra this award, Diavolo, a 4.3% following their rich dark beer from win in 2012 with Ulverston Brewery Mary’s Ruby in Cumbria. The Mild. The picture brewery, which shows the husband was launched in and wife team 2006, is run by Gary and Bunny husband and wife Lucas with their team Paul and Festival Certificate Anita Garnett is at the brewery.

46 Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 Presentations

An Entertaining Weekend For North Sussex Branch Back in April 2016, a small group of North Sussex and East & Mid-Surrey Branch members, returned to the Isle of Man, to assist at the Beer Festival held in Douglas. On this occasion, a selection of ales from the two counties was shipped across and one of those, Kissingate Black Cherry Mild, was voted the Off Island Beer of the Festival. Naturally this As there was the potential for it to become a meant that at some time, there would be the heavy day, it was decided early on to get the small matter of the presentation of a certificate official business out of the way and Martyn to the brewery. A few e-mails were exchanged presented the certificate to Gary and gave a and it was suggested that an ideal date would be short speech, also taking the opportunity to give Saturday 1st October, as this tied in with the a plug to promote the 2017 Isle of Man BF. Kissingate Brewery Open Day, this was agreed and a small group would come over to visit. As It was a pleasant afternoon and luckily the rain they were going to come over for a couple of held off, following the downpours earlier in the days, it was noted that the Dark Star Hopfest at day, it was a well -attended event and it was Partridge Green, was taking place over the good to see other branch members turning up. weekend, so that was the Sunday sorted! We All were enjoying themselves and taking the left them to make their hotel arrangements and chance to seriously sample some of the stronger book flights and once these had been confirmed beers that were available. All too soon, it was with us, a plan was put together to entertain our time to depart on the minibus back into guests for the weekend. Horsham and it became obvious that one or two had really over-enjoyed the hospitality on offer, so after pouring them on board, we set off back into town, to pay a visit to the “Malt Shovel”, have a few more drinks before going our separate ways.

On the Sunday, we had to use cars to get to Four Manx Branch members came across, Partridge Green from Crawley (thanks to Martyn Anderson (Chairman), Bill & Celia Martin & Jenny for rearranging their plans to Smith, plus Angela Aspin, who is also the West help out) and it was noticed before departure, Pennine Regional Director. A minibus was that a couple of people were still a bit fragile, arranged for the Saturday, so after meeting up in which was hardly surprising really. On arrival the “Anchor Tap” in Horsham, we set off from at Dark Star, tokens were purchased and the bar the Carfax for the short trip to Lower Beeding. area duly visited where there were a few of their On arrival, we were greeted by Gary & Bunny own brews were available, plus a selection of Lucas and set about working our way through guests. The live music kept all entertained and the selection of ales on offer and sampling the another barbecue was sampled and a few wares from the barbecue. purchases were made from the shop. It was a nice sunny afternoon as well! Sadly, Bill &

Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 47 Presentations

Celia were flying back that evening, so were given a lift up to Gatwick, whilst Martyn & Angela were taken to visit the “Surrey Oaks” in Newdigate (Surrey), before dropping them back in Crawley.

Looking ahead to next year, a group of us will be visiting the Isle of Man, to assist at the beer festival and when not doing that, travelling around the island and visiting some of the excellent pubs and drinking some very nice The Hampden Arms (cheap) beer. The dates for the festival are Newhaven’s Secret Pub Thursday to Saturday, 6th to 8th April and it Hidden away on the hill above Newhaven, The will be taking place once again in the Villa Hampden boasts a log fire in the winter and a Marina in Douglas. Maybe you’d like to visit, beautiful garden in the summer or even help out at the event. Any help would be One Regular Ale Home-Cooked food and a appreciated and you’ll be made very welcome One Guest Ale Sunday Roast. by a great bunch of people. Variety of Spirits & Wines Dogs & Children Welcome Live Music Monthly Quiz Nights. Thanks to Thomas Black for the photos. Heighton Road, South Heighton, BN9 0JJ - 01273514529 The Crown Family friendly community pub in the heart of Eastbourne Old Town. Large enclosed rear garden and children’s play area. Six real ales: Harveys Sussex Best Bitter, Shepherd Neame Spitfire, Wadworth 6X, Young’s Special and two guest beers. Open Mon-Thu 11am-11pm, Fri & Sat 11am-midnight, Easter Beer Festival Sun 12 noon-11pm. Thu 13th – Mon 17th April South East Sussex CAMRA Live music and 20 ales Community Pub of the Year 2016 22 Crown Street, Old Town, Eastbourne, BN21 1PB, (01323) 724654

48 Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 Brewing in West Sussex Brewing in West Sussex by David Muggleton is Brewing in West a new book available on 15 February 2017 from Amberley Publishing of Stroud, Sussex Gloucestershire. Crawley and the Constables of Littlehampton. In sixth-century Sussex - That these are no longer with us is due to a long the kingdom of the South process of acquisition during the twentieth Saxons - social life century. With the takeover of the last of their centred upon the line, King & Barnes of Horsham, in 2000, alehouse. Throughout the brewing in West Sussex was left to just a Middle Ages, brewing handful of small independents. Yet today there remained a domestic are nearly thirty breweries in this part of the occupation: beer was county. sweet and flavoured with At 96 pages with 180 illustrations, this new herbs and spices. By book pays homage to the brewing heritage of 1600, when Henry Stanton was brewing in West Sussex while celebrating the current Crawley, the use of hops to flavour and preserve outpouring of creativity known as the beer had become standard practice. The growth microbrewery revolution of the large commercial brewers was a product of the industrial revolution, from which era Pre-order at a discounted price of £13.49 at the dates famous West Sussex family concerns such publisher’s website: https://www.amberley- as the Hentys of Chichester, the Ockendens of books.com/brewing-in-west-sussex.html

Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 49 Contact Information

Sussex Branches of CAMRA Surrey & Sussex Regional Director: Chris Stringer, 01403 270505 (Horsham) [email protected] Sussex Area Organiser: Peter Page-Mitchell, 01424 422128 (St. Leonards-on-Sea) [email protected] Beer Festival: Brighton Racecourse, 23-25 March 2017 POTY: Brooksteed Alehouse, Worthing Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017. No. 89 COTY: Albatross RAFA Club, Bexhill-On-Sea Circulation 13,250 Published by Sussex Branches of the Arun & Adur Editor: Mike Taylor, 07718 705500 Andy Shaw [email protected] Email: [email protected] www.aaa-camra.org.uk Advertising: Beer Festival: Worthing, Oct 2017 Neil Richards MBE Email: [email protected] www.matelotmarketing.co.uk POTY: Brooksteed Alehouse, Worthing Tel: 01536 358670 Mobile: 07710 281381 Brighton & South Downs Next Publication Date: John Kirkland, 01293 519844 4 May. Copy by 1 April [email protected] Copy Submissions: www.brightoncamra.org.uk The Editor invites submissions that celebrate the real ale scene in Sussex. Beer Festival: South Downs, Lewes, 16-17 June 2017 Please keep to a maximum of 700 words. POTY: Gardener’s Arms, Lewes Please use plain text or Word files. COTY: Keymer and Hassocks Club Please send good quality pictures separately, preferably in JPG format. North Sussex Standard Disclaimer: Paul Sanders, 07778 035971 Views expressed in this magazine are those of the individual [email protected] authors and not necessarily supported by the editor or CAMRA. All content © Sussex Branches of CAMRA www.northsussex.camra.org.uk Beer Festival: Equinox, 24-25 Feb 2017 Your local Trading Standards Offices are: POTY: Malt Shovel, Horsham East Sussex: St Mary’s House, 52 St Leonards Road, North East Sussex Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN21 3UU (Sub Branch of South East Sussex) Tel: 01323 418200 Fax: 01323 418227 Email: [email protected] John Packer, 07841 669096 Website: www.eastsussexcc.gov.uk [email protected] West Sussex: POTY: King’s Head, East Hoathly Details of all complaints are passed to West Sussex Trading Standards Service by CACS South East Sussex Citizens Advice Consumer Service Phil Cozens, 01323 460822 Tel: 03454 040506 [email protected] Website: www.citizensadvice.org.uk/index www.southeast-sussex-camra.com /getadvice/consumer_service.htm Beer Festival: To Be Announced Brighton & Hove: Bartholomew House, Bartholomew Square, POTY: Tower, St Leonards-on-Sea Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 1JP COTY: Albatross RAFA Club, Bexhill-On-Sea Tel: 01273 292523; Fax: 01273 292524 Email: [email protected] Western Sussex Website: www.brighton-hove.gov.uk Max Malkin, 01243 828394 Campaign for Real Ale Ltd [email protected] 230 Hatfield Road, St Albans, AL1 4LW www.westernsussexcamra.org.uk Tel: 01727 867201 Fax: 01727 867670 Website: www.camra.org.uk Beer Festival: Yapton, 12-14 May 2017 POTY: Inglenook, Nyetimber 50 Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 Cambridge Beer Woking Beer Festival 2016 Festival 2016 ‘Joint Beer of ‘Old Ale of the Festival’ the Festival’

www.harveys.org.uk

01273 480 217 Sussex Drinker: Spring 2017 51

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12 -14 May 2017 28th Yapton Beerex Yapton & Ford Village Hall, Main Road, Yapton, West Sussex, BN18 0ET 60+ Real Ales Cider, Perry, Food (Fri & Sat)

Fri 18.00 – 23.00 (£5) Sat 11.00 – 21.00 (£6 all day, £3 from 17.00) Sun 12.00 – 15.00 (free)

TICKETS: S.A.E. to – WSC, 19 Canal Road, Yapton, Arundel, West Sussex, BN18 0HD – cheques to CAMRA Western Sussex Branch (no personal callers)

Or from these pubs: Maypole (Yapton), Wilkes Head (Eastergate), New Inn (Littlehampton), Selden Arms & Brooksteed Alehouse (Worthing), Chichester Inn (Chichester), Inglenook (Pagham)

Vintage bus from Barnham station Saturday 10.30 – 16.30

Yapton Beerex